This novel is the first Hannah Vogel story and the American writer´s debut.
The story begins in Berlin 1931 when the German crime reporter Hannah Vogel visits the police station to see if there is a good story for her. What she finds is a picture of her dead brother on the wall of recent unclaimed bodies. As Ernst has lent his identification papers to a Jew who is emigrating to the USA, she has to keep his identity secret though hear heart bleeds.
She promises herself she will find Ernst´s killer, but she seems to be a bit distracted by Boris, the very attractive single father she met during one of her court cases. She embarks on a search in Ernst´s environment, among the young Nazi soldiers and crossdressers of the nightclub El Dorado, however.
And then five-year-old Anton, the courageous little ´Indian´, is delivered on her doorstep like another parcel. He brings with him a birth certificate that says Ernst and Hannah Vogel are his parents, plus a very strong personality.
A beautifully written historical crime novel that engaged me from the very first page, not least because of the interesting and determined protagonist. Strongly recommended for lovers of historical crime fiction.
I won the book in a competition and read it for the Global Reading Challenge (the seventh continent; history).
.jpg)
9 kommentarer:
Dorte - Excellent review! I like Hannah Vogel very much, too, and I'm glad you enjoyed this book as much as you did. The story is strong, but she's a well-drawn character.
Margot: book ban or not; I´ll have to put the next Hannah Vogel stories on the list ;)
Well, I had the German part right! Does this complete the "seventh continent" for you or are you doing more than two per continent?
Kelly: yes, you got the setting. And I have covered the seventh continent - did I ever strike you as an extreme reader? ;)
I don't think I've read a novel set in Germany for years. This sounds intriguing and it's going on my list. You book bloggers just have no pity!
Rural View: and who do you think taught me all these tempting tricks?
Other book bloggers ;)
I like historical crime fiction and will look this one up!
Can you imagine seeing your dead brother on the wall!? What a premise. I've started reading the books for my international challenge. Thanks to these challenges I'm broading my reading horizons.
It is really fine for lovers of historical crime fiction, and I also love finding inspiration via challenges and other people´s reviews.
Send en kommentar